Photoshop sticking points

I'm planning a Photoshop workshop with Bret Edge next fall. We're very interested to learn the major topics, techniques, tricks etc. that nature and landscape photographers are most interested in, confused about, etc. Please reply here with your thoughts. Thanks!

Everyone always asks me about blending, layer masks etc. I think a solid grounding in layer masks, and various selection tools (manual masks, select color range, tony k's masks, etc etc) would be of great interest.

Masking/blending and the use of adjustment layers should be of the utmost importance for nature photographers and is one of my most frequently asked teaching requests, as well.
Although it's not related to PS, emphasizing the 'Shoot To The Right' of the histogram principle is pretty important to me.

Using Quick Mask.
Saving Selections for later use with the various adjustment layers.
Show how to correct color casts using each RGB channel separately in Levels and/or Curves. Show how to use a Selective Color adjustment layer to lighten or darken specific colors, as well adjust the balance of the selected color.
Show how to Copy and Paste a selection to the current canvas, or to another canvass.
Soft Proofing.
The differences between "Assign Profile and Convert To Profile.
Sharpening for Web and Print.

-P

I agree with others. I'm just starting to tackle masks and blending and it's a little intimidating.

Nat, consider designing the workshop with "getting it right in the camera" as the primary focus; and then how to use PS to enhance the image for final printing.

Bill Brennan

Color-managed workflow, luminance masks, blending modes and sharpening for output (screen or print) are things that few photographers understand. Also, teach them how to put life into the drab little files that come out of their digital cameras.

Nat, these are some of the things that I often get questions about. How to maximize the use of blending modes, both for layers and the various tools. Using lab mode to correct color, and make contrast, luminance and saturation enhancements. RAW conversion workflow. Contrast masking (how it is similar to but different from Highlights and Shadows in PS). Using channels to create extremely accurate masks. Recovering blown highlights by copying the information from a channel that still has information in the hightligts. HDR techniques to create a "natural" vs "psychedelic" look to an image. Focus stacking to create the illusion of limitless depth of field.

What is the target audience?

Specifically, how much Photoshop experience would you expect the typical participant to have?

Pete D.

After seeing the responses to this thread there are some tasks that are basic and others are advanced techniques that would require a good working knowledge of Photo Shop.

As I review the topics listed above, I can see that if all were included, you guys would need to do a full 40 hour course to cover all topics and give students plenty of time to practice each new skill.

"Specifically, how much Photoshop experience would you expect the typical participant to have?"

This is key, in my opinion. It would be very easy to eat up a 16-hour weekend just giving the basics of the PS UI and basic image management for new users of the program. I suggest that you consider three separate workshops: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Keep each 'course' as short as possible and allow for lots of practice time for each skill set.

-P

I've been using PhotoShop for years. Most of the things that have been listed so far, masks, channels, blending modes. etc. are way beyond my skills. I don't have a clue about them. I'd love to learn.

Something I'm troubled about - apparently there are a lot of photographers who feel that such manipulations are unethical. What is the PS experts' take on this?

"Something I'm troubled about - apparently there are a lot of photographers who feel that such manipulations are unethical. What is the PS experts' take on this?"

Buck, there is a detailed discussion of this very topic at the NPN Landscape Photo forum. The topic title is "A Disturbing Trend In Landscape Photography.

-P

Really great stuff, guys! Thanks very much for your input. This will go a long way to planning the workshop(s). Look for an announcement before the end of the year.